April 06, 2006

Carbon Fiber Perspective...

I normally won't post something here that can be found elsewhere, but I'm going to make an exception. I was quickly reading an article in an industry publication regarding carbon fiber frame production. More specifically, frame production in China. The biggest challenge is material shortage. Last year the major producers of raw carbon fiber nearly opted to stop supplying the sporting goods industry because the aerospace and other industries needed as much high quality carbon fiber as they can get. The supplies are supposed to ease in 2007 and tighten up until at least 2010. Now this is what blew me away...

A single Airbus A380 superjumbo jet uses approximately 70,000 metric tons of carbon fiber, while the ENTIRE sporting goods industry consumes about 200,000 tons a year....that's about three Airbuses. And Airbus currently have 150 on order....

Comments

It cant, the USS Nimitz Air craft carrier is only c.90,000 tons! some decimal error somewhere, but they use an obscene amount of CF as does the new Boeing Dreamliner (about 23 tonnes a plane) which is the reason for the shortage of CF

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